The Cursed Hourglass
by Akai Seirei
Summary: Naru it's having nightmares five years after returning to England and they always end up with some from Japan dying, but mostly Mai. Soon after he came to learn about an old course that will put them all in grave danger. Fearing a death that would probably put him out of his mind for good, he return to Japan to prevent it. However, things have change over the years of his absence.


**The Cursed Hourglass**

 **AN:** This story take place five years after Naru leaves Japan for Gene's funeral to never return back. The Gene or me question was asked, to Naru's deepest regret **.** This work will focus in Naru's biological heritage that previously we had not known about. **A BIG WARNING** for a lot of **grammatical mistakes** , as English is not my main language. Sorry guys, I do my best with the limited knowledge. Past/Present tenses are my worst enemies. Please take that in mind.

 **Summary:** Naru it's having nightmares five years after returning to England and they always end up with some from Japan dying, but mostly Mai. Soon after he came to learn about an old course that will put them all in grave danger. Fearing a death that would probably put him out of his mind for good, he return to Japan to prevent it. However, things have change over the years of his absence and Mai wasn't as happy to see him back, even if this time he came for her. Will this time Naru make things right or will he face madness after losing the woman that have change his life forever?

 **Chapter One:** **Guilty Conscience And A Blood Curse**

 **Noll - Lin**

Night has already fallen when Oliver Davis, finally got home and shoot himself in his personal study after a warm shower. He was awfully tired for such a reasonably easy case the BSPR team had just working on and he looked at the still unfinished file that would close the investigation for good and disappear from his view to join the many files he had worked on for years. The case itself was quickly solved within two days, to add to his increasingly frustration, but what make him tired was not an angry murderer spirit, that couldn't face his own sins, but another nightmare about his Japanese old team across the ocean that deprived him of the little sleep he needed to have, the night before.

Lately, this nightmares have preyed on him none stop and they were getting worse each time, which make him a bit restless as of late. At first, the episodes have annoyed him for keeping him of his most needed rest. He knew that it wasn't a vision of a kind, as his old team back in Japan was safe and sound, thanks to Lin's and Madoka's contact with most of the group over the years, which they shared the information with him like it or not. He also knew, they all were still doing ghost hunting's side jobs as a group. Since there was no longer an office in where taking clients on a more formal manner, they just pick up cases that falls on their hands by their own individual contacts.

Why they didn't end up with their own office, was beyond him. They had a capable balanced team that could have make a name for themselves if they had wished to continue down the paranormal path as their main jobs. To be honest with himself, he was secretly wishing they would team up officially, in a hope to someday work with them again in another case more internationally (like he had once with Masako) or at least in a rather hard case back in Japan where his expertise could be needed or more simply giving him the opportunity to congratulate them at the very least. They could even use their time working for him to burst themselves if they wished, although he knew none of them beside Yasuhara perhaps, would use his name to make their own known. Lying about his true name and identity have leave a bad taste on them, even if they had shove it aside after knowing the circumstances that caused him to act in such a way.

At the very least, he would have wanted for Mai to have a permanent job, instead of the few part-times she have to support herself, after losing the one that was keeping her without financial worries for a year. He did pay her well enough to make sure she would not had to worry about the payment of her apartment, nor about food and other necessities for her daily life. Lin have consider her payment far too generous when he first saw her paycheck, yet he didn't complain once he knew about her circumstances. Now she was forced have two jobs and occasionally one, helping Masako Hara with a particularly difficult case, while studying at the same time. He had wonder many times, how she could pull it all off, without giving in to the exhaustion he knew she must be bearing. However, most of all, he wonder if she had come to hate him for leaving her behind with so many hardships to deal with on her own so suddenly.

Naru sighed at that thought and despite himself, he felt yet again a rush of genuine guilt not only for her, but for all the troubles he had caused to them all with his sudden retreat. It would have been a complete lie to say that said guilt have not change him somewhat over the next five years, changing him sometimes for the better, while others for the worst. Both Lin and Madoka knew he was somehow remorsing over his actions, whatever it was for leaving Mai after not only taking away her only mean of supporting herself, but for hurting her deeply with a cursed question they had forced out of him when the girl had shared it with Ayako, who of course told everyone else including Madoka and yet not really making anything to amend his errors.

Madoka, of course never let him forget anything related to certain brunette, which only annoyed him further. There was also, his deceased twin brother Gene, who stubbornly refuse to move on, until his _unresolved_ _matters_ were finish the way he wanted. Although he refused to tell him what was keeping him as spiritual guide, despite not being able to reach Mai in the astral plane for a few years now, it was obvious that one of the things he wanted the most was for both him and Mai to end up together. Gene did resent him a little about the way he left her and give him a peace of mind he was trying to forget.

 _Yes_ , he had been wrong _, yes_ , he had hurt Mai in more than one way, _yes_ he was living in his own personal self-made hell, he refuse to let go, all because he had _truly_ believed at that time, when Mai bluntly confessed to him, that she was definitely more in love with the nicer smiling twin than the cold narcissist one that barely had any kind of emotion. Besides, confessing that he had asked such question because he thought without a _doubt_ that was the case and taking months to really getting in his head the cruelty of his own words, was something that would had hurt Mai further, if he had go back to her after so long. Still, sometimes he could remember Gene's words tormenting him when he felt guiltier.

" _You idiot scientist. To truly mistake her feelings like that… it should had been unforgivable for her…"_ He sight in resignation of his own stupidity. Gene has said he was an idiot so many times before and he never truly consider the meaning behind his words. Now, however he was painfully aware of his brother deep understanding of his true nature. He never truly cared for what he catalog outside relationships or emotions that hinder his forever controlled ones. With Mai at his only exception outside his family circle, he never care for others more than was necessary or so he thought. At that time in his life, he have to admit that the entire group of Japanese people were dear to him in his own way (even if he didn't openly admit it) and Mai was still holding a very especial place in his heart even now. Precisely because of his feelings for her, as well as for the rest of the team, the nightmares he was experiencing lately, were beginning to worry him. _Truly_ worrying him for the first time in weeks.

He feared to go through something similar to Gene's death once again and be unable to do anything to prevent it, if the nightmares were more a warning than a twisted dream born out of guilt. Five years away from her has taken its toll on his life in many ways, but that wasn't nothing if he were to know she was no longer alive. The though alone was enough to scare the hell out of him, so if it were to come true in the near future, he will definitely lose his sanity once and for all. Losing Gene _did_ affect him greatly, even if he concealed his inner feelings and suffering deep inside. Gene was after all, a part of him that vanish with his death, making him incomplete, lonely and lost. Losing Mai would simply be unbearable painful to the point he would probably break.

The nightmare always begins the same way, he was surrounded by a deep darkness that felt unnatural and oppressive in where he could hear people screaming in agony, although only faintly. The smell of decayed flesh and blood was everywhere and no matter how much he walked in any direction, he could not distinguish the place, nor come out of it. The darkness never cleared and he barely could distinguish his own limps, let alone anything further than a few inches, even when he try to use some Taoist 'spells' he was forced to learn from Lin. Then out of nowhere, he could clearly hear Mai's voice coming from somewhere close by, but far away at the same time.

It sounded like she was scared, lost and asking for help, as she screamed anyone's name but his. So naturally, he followed her voice and hasted steps, yet before he could reach her, a deep scream pierced his eternal night, followed by the scent of fresh blood, a good quantity of it. Soon after, he stumble with something, probably a body and fall over it. His hand came in contact with an arm, cover with warm liquid that smelled like blood and when he looked down, his eyes widen in deep horror when he could clearly see Mai's twisted face, barely recognizable as she had deep cuts all over it. He had come to find the one he was trying to desperately looking for. However, her body was nothing more than a corps. Just then, before he could lose control of himself in the intense rush of emotions that run all over him, far worse than what he experience with Gene's death, an evil laugh that he knew didn't belong to the world of the living, echoes all around him, saying the words he hated the most and he wakes up, cover with sweat and a few things, either broken or in the floor.

Mai's voice sometimes was replaced by another member of his old team, but the result was always the same. Whichever was inside the dark void, end up being murder by the unknown foul entity that wasn't entirely human. However, worst of all, was that waverer entity was after them, knew _he_ was there and rejoice in his inability to help his victim in any way. At the end, he always wakeup from the nightmare when he clearly hear the rasped voice that told him he was too late. ' _You are too late, lost guardian… too late to stop me at all._ _'_

A knock on the door, make Noll go back to reality and out of the disturbing thoughts. With a sigh, he moved from behind the desk to open the door of his study at home. He knew before he open the door that the one who knocked was no other than Lin Koujo, his personal guardian, as neither his father nor Madoka would care to knock and his mother knock was always a fainted one.

"What is it Lin?" He asked the tall Chinese man in front of him.

"Are you still having nightmares? You look more tire than usual…" Lin said with a bit of worry in his voice.

"That doesn't concern you. Is that all?" _Of course, denial. The nightmares are definitely getting worse. Stubborn idiot, just go back to her already…_ Lin thought, before showing Noll the black envelopment he was holding with a bit of an effort.

"This envelope was found just now in front of the main door. It has your name writing on it and just to give you a fair warning, I doubt is anything good. Just by holding it, I can tell you it has a protective ward. I only manage to pick it up, because of my expertise as a master Onmyouji. Poor Hana, almost burn her hand when she first tried to hold it." Lin said, while watching Noll going from surprise to suspicion in just a second.

"Is it cursed?" He asked while looking at the envelope like it will burn in any second.

"Not cursed, but well protected. I guess whoever sent it to you, wanted the information accessible only to you. Any other person who tried to hold it, will get slightly burn." Lin could tell by his expression that Noll was now quite curious. It has been a while since curiosity has spark inside those blue eyes. Ever since they came back to England for Gene's funeral, Noll has lost interest in most of the things that usually pick up his full attention. It was true that the cases in Japan where far more interesting that the ones they had worked in England, but now, he barely showed interest in researching the easier cases they had been working in.

"Does father or mother now about this?" Noll asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"As you should now, both of your parents are out in a previous appointment and had not return yet. Did you forget it?" Lin asked, once again with concern. He knew that the young man was having repeated nightmares involving his old team, but the narcissist had never shared the content of such nightmares with him. If it wasn't for the fact that his shikis had warn him of his slight poltergeising while sleeping, he would have never know of them.

"Tell Hana not to say anything to either of my parents about this. There is no need to worry them if it isn't dangerous to me." He said taking the thing, but Lin keep his hold on it, making Noll glare at him.

"I said it wasn't _cursed,_ I never said it wasn't _dangerous_. You will open it while in my presence, I will not take a refusal of any kind. I'm your guardian, after all." Lin said, while glaring at his young charge, right back. For a second, the room felt a few degrees colder, yet Lin was too accustom to Noll's fury, which make him mostly immune to sudden changes of temperature.

"Noll, I will not yield…" Lin warned him, still refusing to let the thing out of his hand.

"Fine. Come in…" And so he did, letting Noll take it away. He sat in a chair in front of Noll's desk and watched as he carefully examine the envelope. It was a heavy thing, despite the slightly bigger than average size and Lin was certain that curiosity was getting him exited for the first time in years. Without any further delay, Noll open the dark envelope quite carefully, taking out a few tick papers that looked quite old. One of his shiki took the liberty to sniff it, while Noll held the piece of paper.

"The paper is not dangerous, Master, but there is something else inside. It doesn't feel quite right, but also not bad or harmful." The black wolf mentally whisper to him and Lin sighed in relief. Noll begin to read the apparent long content of the letter and halfway, he saw how his charge got paler than usual in an instant, shock was now clearly visible on his usually indifferent features, while his hand slightly tremble.

"Noll…" Lin begin, fearing the papers were indeed cursed, despite what his shiki had said, however, Noll looked at him with a kind of determination and fear he had only seen when he lost Gene.

"Lin, book a plane ticket to Japan as soon as possible for the two of us. Mai and the rest of the team are in mortal danger, go now…" He said with a tone of voice that didn't leave room for refusal and so Lin stormed out of the room, with a feeling that something really bad was going to happen if he had dare to refuse him a second time.

Alone, Noll took the envelope and turn it, so the rest of the content would fall on his hand. An old chain with a small hourglass filled with red sand, soon fall into his palm and Noll hold it, almost for dear life. He just had been warned that his biological family from his mother's side (the Fujiwara's), who had always being blessed with a great deal of spiritual power since ancient times, to keep the people safe from the wickedness of the other side, was also cursed during the rise of the Onmyoji's in Japan in the Heian period, when sealing what they called a demon inside a shrine. It was stated that all those generation from then to now, lose the ones they hold dear at some point when reaching their twenties, no exceptions. He was now twenty two and almost reaching his twenty three in less than a month.

"Good Lord… too late… it had said, you are too late…" Noll whispered to himself, while leaving the study in such a hurry so unlike him that took a few servant by surprise as he pass them by. He almost run back to his bedroom and as soon as he was there, he look at himself in the mirror he had come to avoid for a while.

"Gin! Gin O'Brien, I need your help…" He pleaded to his brother in fluent Japanese and soon after, he saw his reflection being replaced by that of his brother, an eyebrow raised in wonder.

" _It had being a while since you had call me by my birth name, Natsumi O'Brien. Tell me, what_ _'_ _s wrong? What make you stir the past that we swear not to bring back ever again?"_ Gene asked, almost as soon as he had summon him.

"We have a big problem that actually explain what happen to our biological mother and her insanity, but someone else life is at stake, so I will tell you about it later. Go and try to reach Mai now, even if you had to feed on my energy to do so. If she is not warned nor protected, she and the rest of the team will be killed before this cursed hourglass is empty. We have very little time before the curse fully reach me. I will go back to Japan as soon as possible, please keep her… them, safe until then." He said and soon after, Gena was gone, putting the urgency before the many question that were beginning to build inside his mind.

However, as he go back to the dark void the astral plane was, in hope to reach a particular soul that have avoid him for so long, he wonder why the called _'_ _blood curse_ _'_ give him the feeling he had hear it before, back when he was still alive. However as much as he wanted to recall from where, he was unable to remember and he frown in worry. Somehow, he feared something really bad was going to take place, not only because Noll had said so, but because he could sense that something vile was lurking closer to what he knew was Mai's energy, that miraculously he was able to sense after many years.

" _Stay safe Mai… it_ _'_ _s coming your way…"_ He prayed while he concentrate on her energy, in hope to reach her before the foul energy could.

 **AN:** Thanks for reading this little thing, that refuse to be left behind in my collection of unfinished stories and I honestly hope that someone comes to enjoy it. Sorry but no fast upload, as I have circumstances that prevent me from doing so. The next post can take from a week to one month or even a year. My bad, still I don't want to lie to anyone. Take care people! Until next time.


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